Many schools offer a variety of extracurricular activities that students can participate in. Although many students are recognized for all of the activities they do, some of their fellow students do not participate in any. There are many excuses children and teens come up with as to why they can't participate, but there are a couple logical reasons that support their case. If a principal made every student engage in an extracurricular activity, I would disagree. I do not think students should be forced to do certain activities because they may not have the money to participate, they may be shy and performing in a sport or club is out of their comfort zone, and they may not have enough time.

Students do not have to have a ton of money to engage in sports or clubs, but the costs for those activities, for example, jerseys, props, and fund raising expenses, can become overwhelming. If you are involved in sports there are many expenses that come with the honor. You have to buy the right shoes and clothes to practice in, but that's not all. Getting training lessons for the activity can be very expensive and a hard task to achieve. Also, their parents might want to use the money for other things that are important to them like a family vacation, or eating out. Lastly, they may be participating in an activity out of school that is expensive, and having to pay for both a school activity, and after school activity can be difficult.

Many students are very shy and are not use to speaking up or performing in front of hundreds of people, and if it is your first time doing so, it can be very nerve-racking. Many teens know what they would have to experience if they participated, and after thinking about the hardships, they might decide to nothing at all. They may have an older sibling or friend to help them, but many students do not. Having a friend participate in the sport or club with you can be a great advantage, but some teens do not get that advantage. So forcing them to participate in an activity where they have no one to talk to during practice or to cheer them on, can make the activity seem boring.

Finally, the student many not have enough time. Some parents work late so finding a ride home or getting everything prepared for the activity can be hard. Also, a lot of students work on homework after school, if they played a sport or participated in a club, they may not have enough time to accomplish their studies, which in my opinion is the most important task of all. Students may not manage their time wisely. Finishing homework, participating in an activity, and still having a little free time at the end of the day is a lot to juggle. Without unlimited time on your hands, he or she may feel overwhelmed and stressed, which can lead to bigger problems.

To conclude, although I would respect the principal's ultimate decision, I disagree with her statement. Students should not have to be involved in an extracurricular activity. They should be able to choose if they want to participate in an activity. Ultimately, the students choice should be prioritized, because they know their own strengths, and there are a couple reasons to support my claim. The student may not have the money to do so, it may be out of their comfort zone, and lastly they may not have enough time, and forcing them to participate in an activity would bring stress onto their shoulders.        